“Temitope came to Dad's room on a Sunday so he could sign while he still knew what he was signing. We'd have been in court otherwise.”
Rhonda K.Daughter, West Asheville
Temitope Rutledge, estate and elder law
Plans for the people who count on you
I write wills, trusts and powers of attorney for families around Asheville, and I help grown children step in when a parent can't manage alone. Start with the line that sounds like your week.
I'm here because
The work
Three kinds of help, each with a flat fee
Documents are a flat fee, quoted before you decide. Court work is billed by the hour against a written estimate.
- Flat fee
Wills and powers of attorney
Your will, a financial power of attorney, a health care power of attorney and a living will, signed in one sitting.
What the fee covers - Flat fee
Special needs trusts
A trust that holds money for your child without counting against the benefits they rely on, and a trustee plan to go with it.
How the trust works - Hourly, estimate in writing
Guardianship
When a parent can't sign for themselves anymore, I take the family through the petition, the hearing and the reports after.
What the court asks for
Why only this work
I sit at kitchen tables more than conference tables
Most of my clients are in the middle of their lives: raising kids, looking after a parent, or both. They don't need a speech about death. They need a plan that fits on a page and a lawyer who answers the phone.
I meet at my office on Charlotte Street, at your home, or at the hospital bedside if that's where the signing has to happen. You get my cell number, and you get me, not a call center.
Temitope Rutledge
Attorney
What families told me afterward
“We put off the trust for our son for eight years because it felt too big. It took two meetings and a binder.”
Desmond and Ivy P.Parents, Weaverville
“She explained the powers of attorney twice without making me feel slow, and wrote the answer down the second time.”
Lorraine G.Client, Hendersonville
Sample client words. Every family and every case is different, and what happened for one client says nothing certain about another.
Things people ask on the first call
Do I need a trust, or is a will enough?
For most families here, a will and two powers of attorney are enough. A trust earns its cost when there's a child with a disability, land in more than one state, or a reason to keep things out of court. I'll tell you which you are in the first meeting.
My parent is already forgetful. Is it too late for a power of attorney?
Not always. What matters is whether they understand what they are signing on the day they sign. I meet with them alone for part of the visit and take notes, so the papers hold up later.
Will you come to the house or the hospital?
Yes. I bring the papers, a witness and a notary, anywhere in Buncombe, Henderson and Madison counties. There is a travel charge beyond the city, quoted ahead.
What does the flat fee leave out?
Deeds, retitling accounts into a trust, and anything that goes to court. If your plan needs one of these, I quote it separately before any work starts.
Can my brother join by video?
Yes. Family can join the planning talk by video. The signing itself happens in person, with the person making the plan in the room.
Call before the hard week, not during it
A first planning call is thirty minutes and free. Tell me who depends on you and I'll tell you what to put in place first.